Program in Physical Therapy

FAIRYTALE PHYSICAL THERAPY BRINGS WINTER’S MAGIC TO SPRINGTIME

Posted by vanessa on April 16, 2017

The latest cast of FTPT's production of "Frozen": Jenna Kantor as Elsa, Katie Schmitt as Anna, Lauren Ruf as Olaf, Chase Barhorst as Prince Hans, Seth McChesney as Kristoff, Victoria Garrett as the narrator and Aimi Igetei and Saiah Mays teaching the dances.

Tuesday, April 4th, Fairytale Physical Therapy (FTPT), a student-run project of the Columbia University Program in Physical Therapy, brought the magic of winter to the children at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital. Second year students teamed up to bring Elsa, Anna, Olaf and the other characters from their abbreviated version of Disney’s “Frozen” to life for the kids and their families while in the hospital.

The event is chance for the kids to get moving and for parents and children to take a break from being in the hospital. At Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital the show is broadcast to all the rooms, offering children full immersion into the show and interaction with the characters, whether they attend the show on the first floor or watch from their rooms. Choreography, with a therapeutic exercise slant, is taught to kids to songs such as “Let It Go” and “Do You Wanna Build a Snowman” during dance breaks within the show. The kids are encouraged to sing, participate in the story and dance along from standing or seated positions.

This is the thirteenth show that Fairytale Physical Therapy has brought to local hospitals since the project began last year. Previous productions include abbreviated versions of “The Little Mermaid” and “The Lion King” performed at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital and New York Presbyterian/ Weill Cornell Medical Center.

This production of “Frozen” featured Jenna Kantor as Elsa, Katie Schmitt as Anna, Lauren Ruf as Olaf, Chase Barhorst as Prince Hans, Seth McChesney as Kristoff, Victoria Garrett as the narrator and Aimi Igetei and Saiah Mays teaching the dances. Morgan Lee was the arts and crafts leader helping the kids create their own snowflakes to hang in their rooms after the show.

Fairytale Physical Therapy cast and crew reports that they had a wonderful time and are looking forward to bringing “The Lion King” to New York Presbyterian/ Weill Cornell Medical Center on April 14th and “Frozen” to A. Harry Moore School in Jersey City, NJ on April 25th. The FTPT team is planning on performing their versions of “Beauty and the Beast” and “Aladdin” to delight more children and families at local hospitals in the fall.